[Towertalk] WX0B Six-Pack

[Bob Henderson]

I am wondering if any Six-Pack users out there are experiencing the same
problem I am.

I have found my Six Pack to be rather unreliable.  The problem is that the
relays don't always operate in such a way that a reliable contact is made.
The typical failure is that one or other of the relays fails to pull in
properly.  I spoke to Jay at Array Solutions and he told me that the spring
tensions on the relays needed to be adjusted to ensure that there is enough
tension to cause the necessary wiping action on the N.O. contacts.  At the
same time this tension has to be not so great that it overcomes the capacity
of the relay coil to cause the relay to close properly when power is
applied.

I have adjusted endlessly but I have not been able to find a reliable
operating set-up through this adjustment.  It seems to me that when
increasing spring tension I find the point that prevents relay closure
before I find the reliable N.O. contact wiping tension.

It seems to me, though Jay disagrees, that there is a design flaw in the
Six-Pack.  I have used DX-Engineering and Top Ten Devices switch boxes at
the top of towers in hostile environments for years and never had a problem.
This Six-Pack sits in the shack at the back of my operating desk and it is
so unreliable!  At least it is close enough so I can give it a kick when a
relay doesn't pull in properly.

To me that the idea of a fine adjustment of relay spring tension to find a
position where the relay reliably closes but at the same setting will open
with the necessary force to properly wipe the N.O. contacts has no place to
be on an antenna switch.  Surely this is marginal design?

On my previous antenna relays I have found that nominal 12V relays would
operate with as little as 8V applied which meant that with 12V applied the
really clunked in well.  With these units there was no delicate adjusting of
spring tension either....they wiped the N.O. contacts reliably from day 1.

Does anyone share my experience or have I just got a one off unreliable Six
Pack?

73

Bob 5B4AGN, P3F, ZC4ZM